The present invention relates generally to expandable rooms. More particularly, this invention relates to room structures that are telescopically slidable between retracted and expanded positions.
Various vehicles are known which have rooms or room portions that may be adjusted between expanded and retracted positions in order to provide more or less internal space as desired. Typically, one portion of the room is movable and telescopically received or nested within a portion of the room that remains fixed. Similar structures can be used effectively in static structures, although for convenience, this discussion focuses primarily on vehicular examples.
When the vehicle is in motion, the room typically remains in a retracted position. This arrangement provides adequate space to accommodate users in transit and yet remain within vehicle width limitations. When the vehicle is stopped for a length of time, however, it is often desirable to increase the size of internal accommodations. At that point, the user may slide the movable, nested portion of the room out to its expanded position.
These movable room portions usually include a floor, a roof, a side wall, and one or more end walls. In the retracted position, the roof, floor, and end walls are typically concealed from exterior view and the room side wall forms a portion of the vehicle side wall. At the same time, the floor of the movable portion of the room typically rests above the floor of that portion of the room that remains fixed and may form a usable portion of the interior floor during vehicle transit. Similarly, the ceiling of the movable portion of the room may define the interior ceiling of that part of the vehicle during transit.
Room extenders common in the prior art have utilized folding, jointed structural arms. Such arms may fold and unfold in a plane perpendicular to the floor of the recreational vehicle or coach. For example, one version of such an extender utilizes folded arms hidden within built-in furniture. Other extenders have included jointed structural arms that fold and unfold in a plane parallel to the floor of the extendable room and occupy a space between the beams that support the extendable room.
Additional designs have included telescopically extendable tubes or beams driven by rack and pinion mechanisms or hydraulic cylinders. Such designs have utilized multiple parallel tubes or beams to attain stability in the extended position and throughout room expansion. Such designs have traditionally demanded the use of under floor space to accommodate the multiple tubes or beams as well as the separate drive mechanisms. Alternatively, such designs have demanded use of above floor space.
Because, when retracted, the vehicle must accommodate the movable portion of the room that is nested within the fixed portion of the room, the movable portion utilizes a portion of the available storage space within the vehicle. Further use of vehicle space includes under floor space to accommodate the support structure and drive mechanisms for extending, supporting, and stabilizing the movable portion of the room. Useable space is valuable in this type of vehicle. There is therefore a need for support structures and slide out mechanisms that allow the smooth and stable extension of the movable portion of such rooms while minimizing the amount of vehicle space used when the movable portion is retracted.
It is therefore the principal object of this invention to provide a space saving, single cylinder, telescopically nested hydraulic room extender that allows smooth and stable extension of rooms with minimal use of valuable vehicle space. Further objects include the provision of a room extender with a hydraulic drive mechanism nested within structural members of the room extender which, in turn, form an integral part of the structure of the room floor.
The present invention is a space saving, single cylinder, hydraulic room extender providing for the smooth extension of the movable portion of an expandable room with a minimal loss of valuable vehicle space. Use of an electrical screw auger or other electrical actuation means may also be employed. The invention further provides for room extension, minimizing the use of valuable interior and under floor space, creating a room with a stable and solid feel while allowing a minimal amount of lateral motion.